Multi-screen solutions display second-screen content on second-screen devices while a user watches first-screen content (e.g., a television show) on a first-screen device (e.g., television). Second-screen applications allow users to interact with their second-screen devices while viewing first-screen content on first-screen devices. In one example, a user may watch a television show on a television. Then, the user can use his/her second-screen device to access second-screen content, such as supplemental content for the television show or advertisements, while watching the television show. In one example, the first-screen content may be delivered via a cable television network to the television. The user may then use a content source's application on the second-screen device to access the second-screen content via another communication medium, such as the Internet. For example, while watching the television show on a television network, the user may open the television network's application to request the second-screen content via the Internet.
While second-screen use has increased, the overall uptake has been limited. Some issues may be limiting the uptake, such as the user typically has to download an application to view the second-screen content. In some cases, for each different content source, the user needs to download a different application to view the second-screen content. For example, a first television network has a first application and a second television network has a second application. Also, there may be problems with the synchronization between the first-screen content and the second-screen content. For example, the second-screen content should be output in coordination with the first-screen content. However, there may be latency in retrieving content for the second-screen in response to the first-screen event, and also there may be latency when the second-screen device has to connect via a different communication network to receive the second-screen content from the communication network delivering the first-screen content. The latency may cause problems with some content, such as in real-time programs (e.g., sports), where latency in the synchronization is not acceptable.